Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

Winter...for the Birds

By Jos Van Hage

The cooling temperatures are a sign that winter is just around the corner and this is a good time to get things ready for the birds. Providing a sanctuary for birds in your yard is not only helpful for the birds but also enjoyable for you as birds add song and life to a winter landscape. The winter months can be hard on over wintering birds as their natural habitats and food reserves become depleted, so survival is a challenge! To attract birds to your yard you need to provide food, shelter, and protection from predators (including the cat and dog). Large caliber trees are good and having at least one of them being, an evergreen is ideal as birds enjoy the protective branches shielding them from the winter weather. A thick cedar hedge is ideal as it provides lots of protection. Planting certain trees and shrubs can also attract birds because they are a food source. Trees and shrubs such as Mountain Ash, Cranberry, Crabapple, Nannyberry, Mayday, etc. produce fruit and berries that feed the birds.

Filled bird feeders are certain to attract birds. Once birds begin to feed from the feeders, it is important to keep them filled, as they become dependent on this food source. To attract the more timid birds scatter small amounts of bird feed under bushes to initially attract them and then they will eventually come to the feeder. Having a variety of different birdseeds and suet will attract a variety of different birds as well as give the birds a varied diet. In addition, different feeders attract different birds. Place bird feeders in sheltered areas in a southeastern location as birds prefer to eat out of the wind and in the sun. To keep birds safe from predators place feeders high on a pole or bracket so those predators can not reach it.

There is an assortment of different feeds and suet available for birds. Suet consists of a protein fat that gives birds energy and keeps them active. Suet can contain different additives such as nuts, raisins, fruit and insects and different tastes. I have tried many different ones and the favorites among our birds are peanut, or insect. We have also found that chickadees enjoy black oil sunflower seeds and sunflower bird bells.

By attracting birds to your yard you not only add life to your landscape but also birds are beneficial in pest control. They eat many insects both in the garden but also in the air. In the summer birds eat hundreds of mosquitoes. So, get out your bird feeders and fill them up and over the next few months sit back and enjoy the gifts of nature!

Jos.


Jos Van Hage owns three Art Knapp Plantland's in the Prince George area
-Highway 97 South at the old Cariboo Highway
-Highway 97 North
-Highway 16  West


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